Student Air Rifle Program
since 2016
to facilitate an introduction to the lifetime sport of target shooting to school-aged youth in grades 4 through 12
Student Air Rifle Program
PO Box 81
Imperial, MO 63052
Student Air Rifle Program – SAR Home Page
About the Student Air Rifle Program
The Student Air Rifle Program (SAR) is a school-based target shooting program that introduces students in grades 4 through 12 to firearm safety and the lifetime sport of air rifle shooting. It was developed by the Missouri Youth Sport Shooting Alliance, piloted in 2014 and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on March 9, 2016, with Jake Hindman as founder and president. SAR is taught by certified teachers as part of physical education classes, after-school clubs and youth groups, using units of study aligned with national physical education standards, universal whistle commands, positive language and standardized equipment. Its official rifle is the Umarex Embark, a bright green .177 pellet rifle sized for young shooters.
The program is coordinated through state fish and wildlife agencies, including the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and has also been delivered by Girl Scout councils. By March 2021, at its five-year mark, SAR had reached more than 75 schools and over 11,000 students. By its tenth anniversary in 2026, it reported more than 30,000 students and over 600 certified instructors in 11 states, and a 2025 Southwick Associates survey credited it with over $8 million in retail spending on target shooting equipment. For gun owners concerned about the next generation, SAR brings safe, supervised marksmanship back into schools.
Key Facts
- 2014: First pilot program
- March 9, 2016: Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- March 2021: Five-year mark with more than 75 schools and over 11,000 students
- 2025: Southwick Associates survey credits SAR with over $8 million in equipment spending
- 2026: More than 30,000 students and 600 instructors in 11 states
Sources
- Student Air Rifle Program Celebrates 5 Years – Grand View Outdoors
- Student Air Rifle Program – Umarex USA
- Student Air Rifle Program Celebrates 10 Years – Hard Air Magazine
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